The History of Silver Spring Ambulance & Rescue Association & Other Interesting EMS Facts

   Credits:

The following information has been gathered by going through papers that had survived the fire of 1994 and also by speaking with past members.

We would like to thank everyone who assisted us in gathering the information. Without you, we would never have been able to do this.

In The Beginning:

1953

We were stationed in the "chicken coops" that were on the Silver Spring Speedway property along with the Silver Spring Fire Company.

We covered the races at the Silver Spring Speedway.

1960

We moved into the building beside Super Shoes and were known as Ambulance 31.

We drove a Cadillac Ambulance.

The Cadillac Ambulance

The 70’s

1970

We drove an International that was a stick shift on the column.

We separated from the Fire Company, but still resided in their building.

We were the 1^st ambulance in Cumberland County to become a separate entity.

1972

On November 27, 1972 we became incorporated.

1973

We bought a Dodge Van ambulance.

The cost was $17,000 and was purchased on a 5 year loan from 1^st Bank & Trust of Mechanicsburg.

The loan was paid off within one year by doing door-to-door donations and other fundraisers.

The majority of the company consisted of members of the ages 19 – 25.

Thanks to these members, we were well on our way of establishing our credit with the bank.

1977

The decision was made to find our own building.

Mike Hurley, Dick Sebring, Ed Belden, Chuck Wenger, & George Broaddus went to township supervisors and explained the need for our own building.

That was a difficult task.

This same committee then went to Max Hempt to ask for a small piece of land to build on.

May 8, 1977 Max Hempt donated the land on Eleanor Drive

The hard work was not over.

They had to fight to get the land re-zoned.

Joe Ceckovich (A township supervisor) donated his time & equipment to dig our well.

We’ve got the land, but how are we going to pay for the building.

Again, the determined group of volunteers went to the 1^st Bank & Trust of Mechanicsburg and asked for a loan.

We received a $50,000 loan with no collateral.

A new act was created to include ambulance companies to the tax exempt law.

We were the 1^st company to become tax exempt.

The building.

Our volunteers built the cabinets & counters in the kitchen.

They also painted the outside of the building themselves.

The furniture in the lounge was donated by N.B. Liebman Furniture.

Officers

President - Mike Hurley

Vice President - Elliot Detwiler

Chief - Mike Hurley

We were the 1^st company to have an ambulance Chief.

The building is finished.

We have approximately 25 members.

Most of our members were still active with Silver Spring Fire Company.

There were many times where our volunteers manned the ambulance & fire company at the same time.

We had a Plecktron in the station.

Crews would call in and give name and where they were going.

Crews talked to each other on CB radios.

Ambulance went on air with County 911 and were advised of crew & incident location only.

Transport of Patients

Emergency transports

Police would sit at intersections to clear our way through to the hospital.

Expirations

We would transport the patient to the morgue at Carlisle Hospital.

We use to sign-in at the hospitals and also wait on our equipment before we returned to the station.

Trip sheets were handwritten.

More of the 70’s

We received support from many people such as Doctors, The Coroner, Area Businesses, and some County Officials.

We charged $75.00 for a football stand-by.

We wanted to raise the price to $100.00 and Hampden underbid us for $75.00.

We purchased our 1^st minitors for approximately $300.00 each.

If you lived within a 5 mile radius of the company, you received one.

Ways of Making Money in the 70’s

Fundraisers such as bake sales, tupperware parties, & a stand at the flea market were held every month just to pay the electric bill.

Members went door-to-door for the subscription drive.

Sold raffle tickets for the Lady Keystone Open.

We received $1.00 for every ticket sold.

We received the 1^st grant from the Dept. of Health.

This was used to purchase rescue equipment & the Amkus tool.

1979

March 27, 1979 - We received our certificate from the Dept. of Health.

Officers

Mike Hurley was President & Chief

TMI Incident

We were the only ambulance company chosen to remain within the evacuation area and one of the last ones to leave if there was a meltdown.

Crew receives Citation

September 10, 1979

Ambulance crew was doing a transport from Delmar, Md. When they were mistaken for Silver Springs, Md. Ambulance and flagged down.

Crew consisted of Elsie Bordner, Bob Clymans, Larue Armstrong, & Grace Fenicle.

Elsie, Bob, & Larue went into Delmar Convention Center to find a man in cardiac arrest and immediately started CPR while Grace remained in the ambulance with their patient.

Elsie, Bob, & Larue received a Certificate of Merit from The American National Red Cross and also a letter of recognition from Congressman Bill Goodling.

The 80’s

1982

We held Monte Carlo nights as a fundraiser.

Friday, Feb. 12, 1982 we held our 1^st Annual Awards Banquet at the Bellaire House in Carlisle.

We had a total of 569 calls in 1982.

1983

MVA at the intersection of Rtes 11 & 114 when a car drove under a fuel tanker carrying 8500 gallons of fuel which in turn caused an explosion.

We became members of the Cumberland County EMS Council.

1984

January - Penn Twp., York County, created the 1^st Search & Rescue Scuba Team.

March - We purchased a Ford Yankee Coach for $55,265.

By now our member’s are becoming EMT’s.

Mike Hurley is the 1^st in the company to become an EMT.

Training was about 160 hours & is paid for by the members.

We were covering Silver Spring Twp. & the surrounding areas.

People outside the coverage area could request our services if they wanted to.

Subscription fees were $10.00 per year per family. This fee included unlimited emergencies & 2 routine transports.

1985

September - The turnpike purchased the turnpike radios for our ambulances & paid to have them installed.

1986

We had 950 calls, 8 scratches, & traveled 16,520 miles.

We began recognizing "Lifetime Memberships" which were given to members for 10 years of service.

June 1986

First contract with West Shore ALS.

First talks about need for low-band radios.

1987

Life Lion established pre-designated landing zones.

February - purchase of 1^st low-band radio with fire channels 1,2,&3 and med channel 4

March - Medic 2-81 is put into service.

April - building is paid off in full.

May - We purchased our 1^st computer for $3,175.00.

July - We purchased our 1^st copier.

Rubber gloves are "recommended" for calls with bleeding & masks for traumas.

September – "Mortgage Burning" Open House.

Solicited subscriptions door-to-door.

We had 952 calls with 8 scratches.

1988

January – Third party billing was started.

February – First started carrying complete bunker gear on rigs.

March – First needle boxes installed in rigs.

Medic 81 put 3^rd unit in service, Medic 83 put 2^nd unit in service.

Ambulance companies 19 & 20 combined to become Co. 75 which would be a paid service.

Medic 2-81 first stationed at Upper Allen’s station.

Man electrocuted with 69,000 volts on State Rd and survives.

Purchase 1^st cellular phone for $799.00.

November 1988 – Act 45 is signed.

As of 1/89, Med 10 will be for communications only.

$10.00 fee will be added to all driving fines except parking tickets and given to EMS. (EMSOF Fund)

1989

Company 300 is first introduced.

Cost of transports in ambulance $85.00. Subscription fee was $25.00.

Cumberland County Prison Riots. We were paid $2.10/hour.

December 1989 – Bill passed for Fireman’s Relief Fund.

Joined PA Ambulance Association.

We had 868 calls and covered 19,111 miles.

The 90's

1990

April - Co. 33 began carrying back-boards and prepared to assist us on calls.

June – 1^st Silver Spring Twp Newsletter sent out.

August

Med 10 put in service.

Holy Spirit considering purchasing West Shore ALS.

September

Subscription fee $30.00, Ambulance Fees $100.00 for emergencies & $85.00 for routines.

Started the Blood Bank with NKFC.

Cost of football game stand-bys $25.00/hour with a $50.00 minimum.

Joint billing to begin with ALS for Medicare patients.

First started using collection service.

US Rep. Bill Goodling to include EMS in compensation from the state for death on the job.

1991

May – Tornado touched down in Country Manor.

June

We purchased our 1^st Life Pak 300’s. We were the 4^th unit in the county to have them. Area businesses donated $2500. Toward the purchase.

Holy Spirit Hospital purchased Medic 81.

We had the 1^st AED save in the County. Members that were on crew that night were Tom Whitfield, Suzanne Yeingst, & Bob Horning

November – Silver Spring Emergency Management Council is started. Jim Hall is the Chairman.

1992

November – Wal-Mart and Giant are the 1^st to open up in the Silver Spring Commons.

1993

January – Clothing Allotment is set up for active members.

1994

February

Wormleysburg, Upper Allen, & Mechanicsburg Ambulance Services merged to become West Shore EMS.

U.S. Flag is flown at the White House in honor of our Association and then donated to the company.

September – Cumberland County Fireman’s Convention is hosted by New Kingstown Fire Co. & Silver Spring Ambulance.

November – Plans to add on to the building are sent to the engineers.

December 1, 1994 – Silver Spring Ambulance station is totally destroyed by fire.

West Shore EMS donated a rig for use.

NKFC allowed us to say at their station.

Roadway donated the use of a trailer for storage.

1995

January – Act 82 is passed.

February – Transports $175.00 + $5.00/loaded mile.

April

We moved back into building after it was refinished due to the fire.

Company’s 35 & 36 merged & became 91 & 92 and are now known as Yellow Breeches EMS.

June – Donations from township residents to recover from the fire are $25,073.80

November – Began addition to the building.

1996

September – Held an Open House after the addition to the building was finished.

October – We were the only Ambulance Association in the area to become a con-ed sight.

1997

February – Transports $200.00 - $5.00/loaded mile.

March – Medic 81 & 83 merged to become West Shore ALS

September – Begin preparing to do trip sheets electronically.

November – Police departments began carrying AED’s in their cars.

1998

January – We became members of the Cumberland County Volunteer Fireman’s Association.

April – We started our own website; www.silverspringems.org

May – We began contract with Metropolitan Medical to handle all routine transports.

June – 12 area BLS units form Cumberland County EMS Alliance.

July – Began doing trip sheets electronically.

December – We became a member of the Cumberland County Alliance.

1999

April – We began leasing an EMT from Metropolitan Medical to cover daytime shift of Mon-Fri 7 am – 5 pm and Saturdays 6 am – 6 pm

May – Holy Spirit Hospital opens their new ER.

October – We took 1^st place in the Fire/EMS Parade in Baltimore, MD.

The 00's

2000

February – We began using Page, Wolfberg, & Wirth as our legal advisors.

April – We became members of the American Trauma Society.

June - We put our 1^st safety awareness insert in the Silver Spring Twp. Newsletter. We received a grant from the American Trauma Society.

We held our 1^st Silver Spring Twp. Emergency Services picnic at Pleasantview Park.

September - We purchased our 3^rd ambulance which will be delivered in April 2001.

We took 1^st place at the Cumberland County Convention.

The 800 MHz Radio System is in the works.

November – We became members of the Ambulance Association of Pennsylvania.

The rest to be updated soon.......

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